Blog Topic: Upcoming in Athens

Culture Briefs: Chatting About America With Comedian Judah Friedlander, Who Plays the 40 Watt Apr. 10

By Nathan Kerce | April 6, 2018 12:02pm

Comedian Judah Friedlander ("30 Rock," Wet Hot American Summer) is coming to the 40 Watt Club Tuesday, Apr. 10 to promote his fictitious run for president that began in his new Netflix comedy special, America Is the Greatest Country in the United States. We hopped on the phone with Friedlander to discuss his special, comedy in the Trump era and what it means to be a real American.

Read More...
Grub Notes: Chef Dan Barber Is Speaking at UGA, and Way More April Food Events

By Hillary Brown | April 5, 2018 1:15pm

Dan Barber

Dear Athens, please stop scheduling more events in April. Love, me and everyone else.

Read More...
Homedrone: AthFest Announces 2018 Headliners

By Gabe Vodicka | April 4, 2018 10:08am

Dirty Dozen Brass Band

AthFest Educates, the parent organization of the annual AthFest Music and Arts Festival, has announced the headliners for this year's fest, which will take place June 22–24.

Read More...
Homedrone: The World Famous Hosts Herb Herndon Tribute Thursday

By Gordon Lamb | March 28, 2018 11:18am

Some old friends of the late Athens songwriter Herb Herndon will gather to pay tribute and play a set of his songs Thursday, Mar. 29 at The World Famous at 8 p.m.

Read More...
In the Loop: Flagpole Teams With DT Productions to Live-Stream Mayoral Forum Thursday

By Blake Aued | March 27, 2018 1:58pm

Flagpole is teaming up with Normaltown video producers DT Productions to live-stream a mayoral forum starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Mar. 29.

The forum will feature all three candidates—Kelly Girtz, Richie Knight and Harry Sims. It will be moderated by me, former Flagpole intern Nate Harris (now a senior reporter at the Red & Black) and DT Productions co-founder Andrew Levy.

Each candidate will be asked three questions in each of three categories: economy and housing, public safety and education, and community. We welcome ideas for questions from readers, so feel free to leave yours in the comments. There will also be an opportunity to suggest questions on Facebook during the forum.

The forum will be streamed on DT Productions' Facebook page, facebook.com/productionsdt.

Read More...
In the Loop: AADM Hosts Mayoral Forum Tonight; Two More Scheduled

By Blake Aued | March 12, 2018 11:29am

The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement will host a forum featuring mayoral candidates Kelly Girtz, Richie Knight and Harry Sims from 6–7:30 p.m. today at the Athens-Clarke County Library.

The forum will "center around their action plans to address poverty in Athens, quality of life, diversity and community inclusion," according to the AADM.

Originally the forum was set to be held at Ciné, but it has been moved to the library.

Read More...
In the Loop: Athens Groups Organize School Shooting Forum Today

By Blake Aued | February 27, 2018 11:22am

Photo Credit: Formulanone

The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and other local groups and individuals will hold a "community response forum in support of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School" in Parkland, FL, where a gunman killed 17 people earlier this month.

The forum is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. tonight in the auditorium at the Athens-Clarke County Library. It will open with a moment of silence, then Clarke County School Superintendent Demond Means and state Rep. Spencer Frye (D-Athens) will speak.

The AADM is seeking volunteers to "perform simple tasks for this event." Volunteers should call Knowa Johnson or Michael Smith at 706-380-5256.

Read More...
In the Loop: Mariah 'Linqua Franqa' Parker Is Running for ACC Commission

By Blake Aued | February 25, 2018 5:32pm

Photo Credit: courtesy of Mariah Parker

Activist, hip-hop artist and Flagpole cover girl Mariah Parker is running for Athens-Clarke County Commission in District 2, she announced this weekend.

Parker—a doctoral student in linguistics at UGA who's also known by her stage name, Linqua Franqa—had been Tommy Valentine's Commission District 9 campaign manager, but is now striking out on her own.

She'll face Taylor Pass in the race to replace Commissioner Harry Sims, who resigned to run for mayor, and represent East Athens. Another announced candidate, teacher Mark Martin, has dropped out. It's possible other candidates could jump in during the official qualifying period Mar. 5–9.

Parker said she's running because the commission needs a full slate of progressives to enact policy. From her announcement:

Read More...
Homedrone: Nominations for Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year Award Open Until Mar. 31

By Gabe Vodicka | February 22, 2018 1:02pm

As Flagpole's Gordon Lamb noted a few weeks back, nominations for the second annual Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year Award are currently open.

Read More...
Grub Notes: Creature Comforts' Reclaimed Rye Is Now in Cans, and More Local Beer News

By Blake Aued | February 15, 2018 3:03pm

Creature Comforts is finally releasing its fourth year-round offering, Reclaimed Rye, in cans this Saturday.

The amber ale—named for the reclaimed wood that local carpenters Oneta Woodworks used to make the brewery's long tables and benches—is aged with French oak spirals and is 5.5% ABV. It joins IPA Tropicalia, pilsner Bibo and berliner weisse Athena as year-round canned offerings.

"We have wanted Reclaimed Rye in cans for three years," CEO Chris Herron said in a news release. "It is a favorite beer around the brewery and in the market, but capacity restraints have kept it as a draft-only offering."

However, with Creature Comforts set to open a second brewery in Southern Mill off Chase Street this spring, capacity is no longer an issue.

Read More...